CH 162

Villainous Undercover (1)

When Song Xu Yi woke up, she found herself surrounded by a sea of weeds.

Instinctively, she sniffed and unknowingly inhaled something, causing her to sneeze. Just as she was about to sneeze, a hand reached out from behind and tightly covered her mouth and nose.

“You don’t want to die, little sister?” a young man whispered in a low voice next to Song Xu Yi’s ear. “The members of the Demon Sect are still around!”

Beside her stood a young boy who, despite his smudged face covered in black ash, possessed beautiful phoenix eyes and a prominent nose, indicating his remarkable features. Song Xu Yi looked down at her own hands, also covered in black ash, with chubby fingers pressing against her lips.

Following the young boy’s terrified gaze, she saw a raging fire not far away, engulfing one thatched cottage after another. Cries and wails filled the air as shadowy figures in black moved stealthily between houses, their gleaming swords standing out against the dark night…

These are the people from the “Demon Sect” that the young boy mentioned!

Song Xu Yi dared not move, forcibly suppressing the urge to sneeze. Tears involuntarily welled up in her wide-opened eyes as she witnessed each house being looted and engulfed in flames, while trails of fresh blood snaked along the ground…

In such a situation, it was clearly not the right time to receive a storyline.

Although not long after, the voice of the system, which now sounded incredibly cheerful, echoed in Song Xu Yi’s mind, she couldn’t afford to be distracted. She remained focused on the hellish scene unfolding before her, her lips tightly sealed.

It was unclear how much time had passed, but the entire village had turned into a sea of fire. The group of black-clad individuals finally ceased their plundering and brought several carriages to gather the remaining women and children in the village, departing in a grand procession.

Only when the sound of the horse hooves had completely faded away did the young boy release his tight grip on Song Xu Yi’s hand. He let out a sigh of relief and lay down on the pile of weeds.

The surroundings suddenly became incredibly quiet, with only the crackling sound of burning houses nearby.

“Xu Yi, listen carefully. Brother will definitely eradicate the Demon Sect and avenge our parents!”

After a while, the young boy finally regained some strength. He gritted his teeth, tears rolling in his eyes, and looked towards Song Xu Yi beside him.

However, the young sister, still naive to the world of adult hatred, or perhaps exhausted from their journey during the day, closed her eyes, her sleeping face appearing peaceful and serene…

A surge of hatred momentarily froze in the depths of the young boy’s eyes, and inexplicably, two tears fell. He quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand, just as he had done earlier. Then, he untied his belt and fashioned it into a makeshift strap, securing his sister onto his back. Guided by the bright moonlight, he cautiously treaded the narrow path, carrying his sister, one step at a time, towards safety…

Song Xu Yi naturally pretended to be asleep. The situation before her appeared extremely perilous, and she was unaware of the full story. All she could do was feign sleep and absorb the summary of the storyline and the memories of her body. However, as she listened to the labored breaths of the young boy carrying her, her sense of guilt grew deeper and she couldn’t help but urge the system aloud, “I understand, please send me a summary of the storyline!”

The system was apologizing to Song Xu Yi.

Song Xu Yi had no idea what had happened to the system. Suddenly, it became extremely noisy. According to the system, it was still unable to reach the Lord God and had exerted tremendous effort to select a world devoid of any supernatural elements. It was thrilled with its choice and didn’t pay attention to the unidentified attacks. By the time it realized, this particular temporal setting had shifted five years earlier than the time the system had initially set.

“Xu Yi, I, I’m sorry. At this stage, you may have to endure some hardships…” The system apologized hesitantly before transmitting the summary of the storyline to Song Xu Yi.

As Song Xu Yi saw it, she had been transported to an ancient world.

In this era, martial arts were highly valued. While the country was governed by an imperial court, in the Jiangnan region, which was beyond the reach of the court’s authority, there existed a martial world belonging to the Jianghu. In recent years, as the emperor grew increasingly incompetent, local conflicts escalated, and the court found itself overwhelmed and unable to effectively govern. Consequently, martial arts sects gradually rose in the local regions, taking on the role of upholding justice and resolving disputes, gradually becoming at odds with the imperial court.

In contrast, many fugitives who had committed crimes began fleeing to the borderlands, forming the notorious Demon Sect.

Initially, the Demon Sect consisted of numerous small factions, but in recent years, a person called Xun Gu emerged and unified the Demon Sect with their formidable strength. Under the leadership of Xun Gu, the Demon Sect grew in size and, relying on their numbers, began attacking martial arts sects, resulting in the slaughter of many sects by the hands of the Demon Sect.

The massacre that had been unleashed upon the Song Family Manor occurred abruptly a few days ago.

Located near the border, the Song Family Manor was a renowned martial arts stronghold in the Jiangnan region. The patriarch of the family was highly skilled in martial arts, known for his benevolence and generosity, and was loved and respected by the people. He had never caused harm to others. However, overnight, the entire stronghold of the Song Family fell victim to a raid by the Demon Sect. Except for young Song Xu Yi, who was playing hide-and-seek with the maidservants and had fallen asleep inside a rice jar, and Song Xu, the second son of the family who was studying at a scholar’s house at the time, everyone else met a tragic end at the hands of the Demon Sect.

Song Xu, the young man carrying Song Xu Yi on his back, is the male protagonist in the story.

After the tragic massacre at their family home, Song Xu, who had previously been devoted to studying and reluctant to learn martial arts, abandoned his books and embarked on the path of martial arts. Carrying his young sister on his back, he braved numerous dangers to reach Nanjun, intending to seek refuge with the Taiji Sect, the most prominent martial arts sect in the region. However, upon seeing that Song Xu’s aptitude had already matured and it was too late for him to start training, the Taiji Sect offered him some money as charity but refused to accept him as a disciple.

Fortunately, Song Xu later encountered a wandering swordsman who owed a debt of gratitude to his late father. He started training from scratch under the guidance of the swordsman. With a single-minded focus on seeking revenge and unwavering determination, coupled with several fortunate encounters, Song Xu quickly gained fame as a renowned young swordsman.

The female protagonist in the story is Gong Huan, the daughter of an elder in the Taiji Sect. Disguised as a man, she ventures out into the world, and through a series of coincidences, she joins forces with Song Xu on their journey. Together, they combat evil and uphold justice. The lively and innocent Gong Huan soon develops feelings for Song Xu and confesses her love to him. However, consumed by his thirst for revenge and haunted by the rejection he faced from the Taiji Sect, as well as the interference of Gong Huan’s father, Song Xu assumes that Gong Huan, disguised as a man, has ulterior motives in approaching him. Despite his own feelings for Gong Huan, he repeatedly rejects her advances.

In the end, with Gong Huan’s help, Song Xu discovered the reason behind the annihilation of the Song family by the Demon Sect and obtained the map of the Demon Palace.

Armed with the map, led by the Grandmaster of the Tai Chi Sect, Lu Dun, the righteous martial artists of the Jianghu formed an alliance and decided to launch an attack on the Demon Sect. During the assault on the Demon Sect, everyone united against a common enemy. Song Xu and Gong Huan’s father were able to set aside their past grievances, and Song Xu finally confronted his true feelings and confessed his love to Gong Huan…

As per the design of the Lord God, everything seemed to be leading towards a successful eradication of the Demon Sect, with a splendid ending where the male and female leads found happiness together. However, since Song Xu Yi realized they had reached this point, naturally, some unexpected complications arose.

After the righteous alliance arrived at the Demon Sect’s stronghold, they discovered that the map had been silently swapped without their knowledge. The alliance fell into a treacherous trap laid by the Demon Sect within the maze of puppet traps set by the map. Despite suffering heavy losses, spurred on by Lu Dun’s encouragement, the group rallied their spirits to face the enemy. However, to their astonishment, Lu Dun’s most trusted disciple, Fu Xi Yu, suddenly betrayed them, thrusting a sword into Lu Dun’s chest.

It was then that everyone realized that Fu Xi Yu had been concealing her true power all along. Her real identity was none other than the notorious leader of the Demon Sect, Xun Gu, the Valley Master.

With Lu Dun’s death, the righteous alliance lost their leader and began to crumble. Fu Xi Yu led the disciples of the Demon Sect to relentlessly pursue them, inflicting severe injuries upon several martial arts experts. Ultimately, they forced the righteous members into the deadly and inescapable Miasma Valley.

Song Xu, originally engaged in a fierce battle against Fu Xi Yu, sustained severe injuries. Subsequently, he succumbed to the effects of the miasma, unable to endure its deadly grip, and tragically died within the Miasma Valley at a young age…

With the death of the male lead and the collapse of the world’s timeline, the Lord God rewound the threads of time, and thus Song Xu Yi arrived in this new world.

In this world, Song Xu Yi’s role is that of the male lead’s younger sister.

Following the Lord God’s consistent principle of maintaining a similar identity for Song Xu Yi in the mission world, as the male lead’s sister, Song Xu Yi holds a notable position five years later.

Five years later, the original body, due to her exceptional medical talents, was accepted as a disciple by the renowned medical sect, the Medical Valley. She gained favor from the Valley Master and was seen by outsiders as the prospective successor of the Medical Valley. During that time, the original body also participated in the crusade against the Demon Sect but remained outside the sect. Due to the complex mechanisms within the Demon Sect, Fu Xi Yu proposed leaving the disciples who were not adept at combat outside the sect to await orders. At the time, everyone praised Fu Xi Yu for her thoughtfulness, unaware that it was all part of Fu Xi Yu’s scheme: If the Medical Valley had joined the alliance in infiltrating the Demon Sect, the alliance would not have suffered such heavy casualties…

However, the current Song Xu Yi is not a disciple of the Medical Valley.

The moment Song Xu Yi arrived coincided with the most challenging period in the lives of both Song Xu and the original body.

The 12 year old boy and the 6 year old girl endured hardships and traveled for nearly half a year to reach the southern county where the Taiji Sect was located.

Song Xu Yi quickly assimilated the memories of the body.

Due to the annihilation of the Song family, who were the guardians of the region, the area had fallen under the control of the Demon Sect. The land was plagued by the atrocities committed by the Demon Sect, and upon witnessing the tragic state of their home, Song Xu dared not reveal their whereabouts. Once they found each other, they immediately set off to escape…

Throughout their journey, the siblings had witnessed numerous instances of the Demon Sect’s brutality.

Being just 6 years old, the original body was ignorant of the sorrows of the world. Despite trying their best to be mature, the young girl couldn’t endure the long journey. Her legs were covered in blisters, and every few steps brought her to tears due to the pain.

Song Xu had no choice but to carry his sister and forge ahead with great effort.

However, the current Song Xu was not yet the skilled martial artist he would later become. He was merely a 12 year old boy who had always been dedicated to his studies. Despite his utmost determination to become the pillar of support for his family and carry his sister, he was accustomed to a life of comfort and not easy to carry Song Xu Yi. It didn’t take long for sweat to start trickling down Song Xu’s forehead.

“Brother, where are you taking us?”

Song Xu Yi could hear Song Xu’s increasingly rapid breaths and realized that she was becoming a burden to him. Although it felt a bit strange to refer to this young boy as her brother, seeing his determined expression, wholeheartedly focused on keeping them both alive, Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but speak up: “Isn’t the Southern County located in the south?”

In truth, Song Xu didn’t know which direction to go either. He simply had an instinctual urge to move farther away from the Demon Sect. Upon hearing Song Xu Yi’s question, despite being exhausted and struggling to catch his breath, he responded: “Let’s find a place to hide for now.”

Song Xu Yi furrowed her brows. With Song Xu’s answer, she understood that he had no idea how to plan their journey. But she couldn’t blame him. After experiencing a family tragedy, a 12 year old boy who had managed to come this far was already incredibly remarkable.

But since she had arrived in this particular timeframe, she couldn’t allow the story to continue unfolding as it did in the original plot. Even though setbacks could be considered as valuable life lessons, Song Xu had faced far too many in the past few days.

“Brother, I’ve heard Mother talk about books,” Song Xu Yi pondered for a moment and came up with a rough idea. She couldn’t help but continue speaking: “Have you seen the brightest star in the sky? That’s the North Star. It points towards the north. So, let’s head north–“

Song Xu’s footsteps came to a halt.

He couldn’t determine the way, but his sister spoke with such conviction that she must be right.

“Brother, I’m hungry,” Song Xu heard his sister softly speak again. “Can we stop and eat something before continuing?”

If they were going in the right direction, Song Xu would have definitely kept going without stopping. However, now that his sister had revealed that they were going the wrong way, Song Xu hesitated for a moment. Eventually, he decided to comply with Song Xu Yi’s wish and cautiously found a clearing in the woods, where he gently set her down and took out the pastry from his pocket.

“Eat, brother.” Moonlight shone brightly, streaming through the branches and leaves. Song Xu Yi looked at Song Xu’s tense body and sighed, handing him the pastry.

In the past few days, Song Xu had no appetite at all. He was solely focused on the surrounding movements, fearing that the cannibalistic disciples of the Demon Sect would suddenly emerge. However, the thought of not having enough strength to carry his sister if he didn’t eat properly made Song Xu reluctantly open his mouth and start chewing the pastry, even though it tasted like wax.

Before long, Song Xu heard his sister’s voice again.

In the previous two days, his sister was probably too scared and only cried. It was the first time Song Xu heard his sister speak so much.

“Whenever Mother is tired from settling the accounts, I would give her a shoulder rub, and Mother would always praise me for being sensible, saying that I’m particularly good at taking care of people–“

A pair of hands then grasped Song Xu’s shoulders. The strength was not great, but it inexplicably made him feel comfortable.

“Brother, did you see that star just now? Is Mom praising me? When Grandfather passed away two years ago, Mom told me that Grandfather went to the sky and would always watch over us, hoping that we would live well. Now that our family members are all in the sky, they must want the two of us to live even better…”

“With our parents gone, I will take care of you from now on.”

Song Xu didn’t intend to cry, but tears welled up in his eyes nonetheless.

These past few days, the images of his family’s tragic deaths kept haunting his mind. He felt guilty for not even having the chance to give his parents a proper burial before hastily fleeing, his sole focus being to survive… The burden placed on the shoulders of this 12 year old boy was far too heavy, things he should never have had to bear. He had only been concerned with escaping, without having the opportunity to process these emotions. Yet, listening to his sister’s innocent voice, somehow, tears began to flow uncontrollably from Song Xu’s eyes.

Song Xu didn’t dare let Song Xu Yi notice his tears and kept his head lowered. In truth, they weren’t particularly close siblings. He had started studying with his teacher in the mountains when he was 10 years old and only saw his sister on rare occasions during holidays. He knew his sister was an adorable little bundle, but he had never imagined that she could be so understanding.

Unbeknownst to him, under Song Xu Yi’s massage, Song Xu’s tense body finally relaxed, and as the tears flowed, the burdens that weighed heavily on his heart seemed to crack open a gap. Gradually, Song Xu’s breathing became steady…

Noticing that Song Xu had fallen asleep, Song Xu Yi let out a sigh of relief.

Being a fake little girl was truly challenging! But Song Xu’s tightly wound emotions needed to be soothed urgently, leaving Song Xu Yi no choice but to resort to this plan: In the original plot, Song Xu dealt with all the hatred and sorrow alone, becoming more introverted and unable to express himself verbally. He remained on edge like a taut string. It was precisely because of his personality that he would later have many conflicts with the female protagonist.

Now that she had become Song Xu’s younger sister, Song Xu Yi naturally wished for Song Xu to live a more relaxed life.

Putting Song Xu to sleep was just the first step in Song Xu Yi’s plan.

After quickly finishing the last few bites of the pastry, Song Xu Yi called upon the system in her mind, saying, “It’s up to you now!”

It was impossible for the two of them to continue their journey with just a few pastries. It was August, and the weather was still relatively warm. If they followed the plot from the original synopsis and traveled for six months until winter, they would undoubtedly face great hardships.

Song Xu Yi decided to return to the village that had recently been ravaged by the Demon Sect, hoping to scavenge some useful items. With Song Xu Yi’s current body lacking any ability to withstand danger, everything relied on the system.

The system appeared particularly diligent, not only helping Song Xu Yi find money and food but even providing meticulous details like pointing out a pit on the ground. Song Xu Yi looked at the system’s behavior and couldn’t help but suspect if the system was compensating for something it had done wrong in the previous world, hence being so helpful in this world…

However, her memories were fragmented, and despite careful pondering, Song Xu Yi couldn’t recall what had exactly happened in the previous world.

Nevertheless, when the system found a horse hidden in the woods that had escaped the notice of the Demon Sect, Song Xu Yi became incredibly delighted, and her suspicions about the system faded away.

With the horse, their journey ahead would be much easier for her and Song Xu!

……

Song Xu didn’t sleep soundly, plagued by countless flashes of blades, swords, and blood in his dreams. He even saw tears falling from the stars in the sky… However, his body was too exhausted, and despite his consciousness wanting to wake up, his body remained heavy and lethargic. It wasn’t until dawn that Song Xu finally opened his eyes.

Perhaps due to the cathartic crying from the previous night, Song Xu felt a significant reduction in the oppressive feeling in his chest.

Thinking of his comforting sister, a gentle expression unintentionally appeared in Song Xu’s cold eyes. However, immediately after, Song Xu suddenly panicked and stood up in a fluster:

–Where is his sister?

The space beside him was empty, and his sister, who had been by his side eating the pastry last night, was nowhere to be found…

Song Xu anxiously looked around, intending to leave the woods to find his sister when he heard his sister calling out “Brother” from outside the woods.

Song Xu looked up in response.

For a long time, Song Xu couldn’t forget this scene: a faint sunrise on the horizon, his sister, who was still shorter than the horse, holding onto a horse and waving at him with a radiant smile from outside the woods.

Although he felt a sense of blame for his sister for returning to the village disregarding the danger, upon discovering the horse, Song Xu’s mood became extremely joyful. He had ridden horses with his parents and older brothers before, but he wasn’t skilled. He practiced in the woods for two days until he became proficient in handling the horse. Feeling that he now had the ability to escape even if encountering the Demon Sect, Song Xu left the woods with his sister on horseback.

According to Song Xu’s plan, they would take the smaller roads and ride the horse all the way to Nanjun, where they would seek apprenticeship at the Taiji Sect. His sister did not object to his plan, but one day, as they passed through a town, his sister suddenly complained of a stomachache. Worried about his sister, Song Xu couldn’t help but take her to the medical hall in the town…

When they arrived at the medical hall, Song Xu’s sister grabbed the doctor’s hand and pleaded for him to seek help from the Tianmen Sect in the city.

Song Xu was shocked and pale with fear, ready to flee with Song Xu Yi. However, Song Xu Yi held his hand and said, “Brother, the head of the Tianmen Sect, Master Chen, was Father’s close friend. Mother once said that if our family encountered difficulties, we should seek Master Chen.”

Of course, this statement was false, but Master Chen was indeed a good person who treated Song Xu like his own. In the later plot, Master Chen even once took a blow for Song Xu… Presently, Song Xu had become extremely distrustful of everyone, and if he were directly asked to come and find Master Chen, he would certainly refuse. Song Xu Yi wanted to rebuild his brother’s trust in the world and had no choice but to resort to this plan.

Song Xu’s expression changed several times, but in the end, he couldn’t resist Song Xu Yi’s pleading gaze and reluctantly sat down on a stool.

Before long, members of the Tianmen Sect arrived.

The person who arrived was the wife of Master Chen. As soon as she saw the two siblings, tears streamed down her face, expressing her heartfelt sympathy for the hardships they had endured. Song Xu looked at the genuine tears in the woman’s eyes and felt a flicker of emotion. When he heard her say that Master Chen hadn’t come because he had already gathered forces from all sides to seek vengeance and retrieve the bodies of the Song family at Song Family Manor, Song Xu couldn’t maintain his composure any longer. He knelt down before the woman and knocked his head on the ground several times.

Naturally, Master Chen couldn’t find anyone to take revenge on. The Demon Sect was always elusive, plundering a place and then fleeing. By the time Master Chen arrived, the Demon Sect had vanished without a trace.

Initially, Master Chen believed that the Song family had been completely wiped out and planned to cremate their remains and bury them on-site. However, upon receiving news from his wife, who had swiftly ridden over, that some members of the Song family were still alive, Master Chen changed his mind.

A few days later, Master Chen returned to the Tianmen Sect with the ashes of the Song family and held a funeral for them.

In the original plot summary, Song Xu had always regretted not being able to arrange a proper funeral or keep vigil for his family. Here, that regret was finally fulfilled.

After building a proper tomb for their parents, Master Chen tried his best to persuade Song Xu and his sister to stay and live in the Tianmen Sect. However, Song Xu had made up his mind and still intended to go to the Taiji Sect to become a disciple.

Unable to convince them, Master Chen could only entrust their care to a familiar escort agency, which would accompany and protect the siblings on their journey to Nanjun.

Having an escort agency ensured their safety and a faster journey. In the original plot summary, the siblings traveled for nearly half a year, but this time they arrived in just two months.

Upon their arrival in Nanjun, the arranged personnel by Master Chen welcomed them and brought them to the Taiji Sect. They were informed that the hall master responsible for recruiting new disciples was currently attending morning class and would assess their aptitude after the class.

The Taiji Sect was the largest martial arts sect in the country, boasting an abundance of powerful experts. On the surface, there was a sect master, eight elders, and sixteen hall masters, all of whom possessed unparalleled martial skills. Behind the scenes, there were several retired peerless masters who served as support. Song Xu’s father had once told him that his own strength was considered top-notch locally but merely average within the Taiji Sect. This was precisely why Song Xu insisted on joining the Taiji Sect as a disciple. He knew that starting martial arts training at his age in any other sect would only allow him to reach his father’s level at best. However, if there was any sect that could achieve miraculous transformations, in Song Xu’s perception, it was the Taiji Sect.

Despite experiencing family tragedies and growing into adulthood, the Taiji Sect he had long yearned for was now right before his eyes. As he gazed upon the majestic and grand entrance plaque, Song Xu couldn’t help but feel a sense of anxiety and unease.

Song Xu Yi, on the other hand, didn’t feel nervous at all.

She knew that according to the plot summary, there was a high chance that Song Xu wouldn’t be able to enter the Taiji Sect. However, his opportunity was just around the corner. He would encounter his wandering swordsman master on his way down the mountain…

The two of them waited for about two cups of tea, and finally, the disciples finished their morning practice. Many people started bustling out, and suddenly, Song Xu Yi’s system in her mind exclaimed, “The villain has arrived!”

The villain?

Song Xu Yi hadn’t expected to encounter the antagonist, Fu Xi Yu, so soon. After all, there were still over ten years until the later events in the plot. Had Fu Xi Yu already infiltrated the Taiji Sect this early?

“What does the villain look like?”

“How else could they look?” the system gritted its teeth and spoke with disdain. It found the sight of the villain unbearable and didn’t want to see that troublesome face. But it could clearly visualize the appearance of the villain even if it turned to ashes: “She’s the most enchanting, the most eye-catching among the group, stunningly beautiful, with a red mole beneath her eye, that wicked woman!”

Song Xu Yi widened her eyes, surrounded by many people, many of whom were attractive and eye-catching. For a moment, she couldn’t distinguish which one it was.

Seeing Song Xu Yi’s bewildered expression, the system decided to give her another hint. “It’s the second person walking in the middle, the woman coming toward you!”

As soon as the system finished speaking, Song Xu Yi froze in place, and even the system itself was momentarily stunned—

The girl before her was tall and imposing, with a stern expression on her face. Her features were delicate, particularly her beautiful eyes, adorned with a small red mole at the corner that resembled a decorative brushstroke. However, there was a hideous scar that marred her entire cheek, stretching from her temple down to her chin, giving her an incredibly ferocious appearance…

This… was the villain that the system described as the most beautiful?

The author has something to say:

It’s difficult to disfigure someone. Without a beautiful face, how can our villain entice Xu Yi?

There is a 9-year age difference in this little world.

This book consists of a total of twelve little worlds. In the next little world (the tenth one), let’s set up a necromantic villain!